Georgetown football hosted Colgate on Saturday, October 26 during family weekend.

Phone:202-687-8361Email:sgarlatr@georgetown.edu

Recruits: Northern New Jersey, Texas (Dallas area), Washington, D.C.
Georgetown University Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Lee Reed named Rob Sgarlata (C'94, S'12) the 31st head football coach in program history. Sgarlata has served on the Hoyas coaching staff for the past 18 seasons, including the last eight as Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator.

Sgarlata took over as the interim head coach on January 30, following the departure of Kevin Kelly and was selected following a national search for coaching candidates. Sgarlata becomes just the fourth person to have played football and graduated from Georgetown before earning the head coach title, joining Joe Reilly, Jack Hagerty and Maurice Dubofsky.

"Rob Sgarlata brings a wealth of relevant experience to his new leadership role in our football program," Reed said. "As a coach and an educator, he has shown his commitment to the holistic development of student-athletes as well as his passion for the game of football. I look forward to working with Rob to ensure that Georgetown football is a quality experience for his players."

As defensive coordinator under Kelly, Sgarlata helped guide the Hoyas to its best stretch since joining the Patriot League, between 2010 and 2012. GU possessed the top-ranked scoring defense in the Patriot League in 2011 and featured the second-ranked scoring defense in the league in 2012.

"When I was a student-athlete at Georgetown, our Athletic Director, Frank Rienzo used to say that we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us," Sgarlata said. "During my time on the Hilltop, I have witnessed this sentiment first hand. I have been fortunate to play for Scotty Glacken and work under excellent former head coaches Bob Benson and Kevin Kelly. I look forward to the challenge of guiding this program forward. I am extremely excited to work with the group of football players we currently have on the Hilltop."

Sgarlata has helped develop four All-Americans, including Michael Ononibaku in 2005, Alex Buzbee in 2006, Andrew Schaetzke, just the ninth consensus All-American in Patriot League history in 2011 and Robert McCabe in 2012. Buzbee would go on to play in the NFL with the Washington Redskins and the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Toronto Argonauts. Schaetzke and McCabe each went to NFL rookie camps, following brilliant playing careers on the Hilltop.

During his tenure as defensive coordinator, the Hoyas have featured four ECAC First Team selections and 20 All-Patriot League selections on defense.

Within the defense, Sgarlata worked with the defensive line in 1995-96 and again from 2002-04, where he coached Buzbee, Ononibaku and 1996 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year Janne Kouri. He worked with the defensive backs from 2005-12, where he worked with All-Patriot League performers Brian Tandy, Travis Mack, Jayah Kaisamba and Jeremy Moore.

Prior to his work on defense, Sgarlata worked with wide receivers and tight ends from 1996-2000, helping the Hoyas to consecutive MAAC Championships in 1998 and 1999 and an appearance in the 1998 ECAC Bowl.

In addition to coaching, Sgarlata has also served as an academic advisor, career and alumni liaison, financial aid liaison, internship director and computer and technology liaison during his 18 years with the football program.

Sgarlata, a four-year letterman at Georgetown is among the program's all-time leading rushers. He was a team captain in 1993 and the recipient of the John J. Hagerty Award presented annually to Georgetown's outstanding back, following his senior season. He also excelled in the classroom, being named to the 1993 GTE District II Academic All-America Football Team and was also named to the MAAC Football League Academic All-Star Team.

Sgarlata graduated from Georgetown in 1994 from the College of Arts & Sciences with a degree in government and international relations. In May 2012, he completed his master's degree in sport industry management from the School of Continuing Studies at Georgetown.